Trump russia ties

The White House admitted Tuesday that Donald Trump helped draft a misleading statement about his son's meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer -- deepening the president's entanglement in the saga over his team's ties to Russia.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump had "weighed in, offered suggestions, like any father would do."
Trump's personal intervention, first reported by The Washington Post, casts doubt on claims he knew nothing about a meeting during the 2016 campaign that is now central to a federal investigation.
It also paints a picture of a president acutely aware of the scandal -- and determined to manage it down to a minute level.
Allies fear that such a level of involvement, if proven, could put the Republican billionaire leader in legal jeopardy.
Politically, it will only intensify allegations that the White House is trying to cover up connections with a foreign government accused of trying to tilt the November election in Trump's … [Read more...] about White House admits Trump ‘weighed in’ on son’s Russia statement

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed relations with Russia had hit an all-time and "very dangerous" low Thursday, putting the blame on Congress after he reluctantly approved sanctions against Moscow.
After Moscow called the sanctions a declaration of "economic war" that had exposed the U.S. president's weakness, an angry Trump lashed out at his own lawmakers who had overwhelmingly approved the measures.
Our relationship with Russia is at an all-time & very dangerous low. You can thank Congress, the same people that can't even give us HCare!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2017
Senator John McCain, a noted Russia hawk, hit back on Twitter, suggesting Trump had misdiagnosed the source of the problem.
"Our relationship w/ Russia is at dangerous low. You can thank Putin for attacking our democracy, invading neighbors & threatening our allies," McCain said.
Trump's outburst came a day after he grudgingly signed off on the sanctions, calling … [Read more...] about Angry Trump says Russia ties at ‘very dangerous low’

The Trump administration accused James Comey of 'atrocities' on the job and denied his firing was related to the FBI's Russia investigation. FBI Director James Comey, days before President Donald Trump fired him, told lawmakers he sought more resources for his agency's probe into possible collusion between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia to sway the 2016 U.S. election, a congressional source said on Wednesday. With the Republican president facing a storm of criticism from many Democratic lawmakers and some in his own party, the Trump administration accused Comey of "atrocities" on the job and denied his firing was related to the FBI's Russia investigation. Trump, who met Russia's foreign minister at the White House on Wednesday, lashed out at critics, calling Democrats "phony hypocrites," and defended his decision to abruptly oust Comey on Tuesday from the law enforcement post he held since 2013. Democrats intensified accusations that Comey's removal was intended to … [Read more...] about FBI chief sought more resources for Russia probe before Trump fired him – source

In a statement after the Justice Department announcement, Trump said he looked forward to a quick resolution of the matter. The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday named former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and possible collusion between President Donald Trump's campaign and Moscow. The move followed a week in which the White House was thrown into an uproar amid rising demands by Democrats and some of Trump's fellow Republicans for an independent probe of whether Russia tried to sway the outcome of November's presidential election in favor of Trump and against Democrat Hillary Clinton. In a statement after the Justice Department announcement, Trump said he looked forward to a quick resolution of the matter. "As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know – there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity," he said. Mueller, in a … [Read more...] about Former FBI chief Mueller appointed to probe Trump-Russia ties

The dismissal of the former FBI director has prompted the appointment of a special counsel to probe possible ties between Russia and Trump's presidential campaign. President Donald Trump, striking a defiant tone on Thursday after days of political tumult, denied asking former FBI Director James Comey to drop a probe into his former national security adviser and decried a "witch hunt" against him. Trump's terse denial followed reports by Reuters and other media about a memo written by Comey alleging that Trump made the request to close down the investigation into Michael Flynn and Russia back in February. Trump fired Comey on May 9. "No. No. Next question," Trump told a news conference in the White House, when asked if he "in any way, shape or form" ever urged Comey to end the probe. Comey's dismissal last week set off a series of jarring developments that culminated on Wednesday in the Justice Department's appointment of a special counsel to probe possible ties between Russia and … [Read more...] about Trump denies asking Comey to drop probe, decries ‘witch hunt’

In his first interview since firing Comey on Tuesday, Trump appeared to try to underscore that Comey's dismissal was about his performance at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and not about the Russia probe. President Donald Trump on Thursday ran into resistance for calling ousted FBI chief James Comey a "showboat," an attack that was swiftly contradicted by top U.S. senators and the acting FBI leader, who pledged that an investigation into possible Trump campaign ties to Russia would proceed with vigor. Trump faces accusations from Democrats that he fired Comey to hinder the FBI investigation into U.S. intelligence agency allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election to benefit Trump. The probe has hung over Trump's presidency since he took office in January and threatens to overwhelm his policy priorities. "He's a showboat. He's a grandstander," Trump told NBC News. "The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that, I know that, everybody knows that." Trump's … [Read more...] about Trump attacks on fired FBI chief meet resistance; Russia probe proceeds

'It's a very nice letter from Putin,' said Trump. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday released what he said was a "very nice" letter from Russia's President Vladimir Putin calling for a thaw in ties between the rival powers. Relations between Washington and Moscow are at their worst since the end of the Cold War, and President Barack Obama has imposed sanctions over Russia's interventions in Syria and Ukraine. But Trump, who takes office on January 20, called several times during his election campaign for improved relations and suggested he could work with Putin to jointly oppose Islamist extremism. Putin's letter, according to a translation released by Trump's office, said "relations between Russia and the US remain an important factor in ensuring stability and security of the modern world." And "it called for real steps to restore the framework of bilateral cooperation in different areas." Trump responded by declaring: "A very nice letter from Vladimir Putin; his … [Read more...] about Trump releases Putin letter urging better US-Russia ties

Putin said he would consider the actions of President-elect Donald Trump when deciding on further steps in Russia-U.S. relations. President Vladimir Putin ruled out on Friday expelling anyone in retaliation for Washington's decision to throw out 35 Russian diplomats and impose sanctions on two of the country's intelligence agencies. RIA news agency quoted Putin as saying he would consider the actions of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office next month, when deciding on further steps in Russia-U.S. relations. Earlier, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov proposed to Putin that Moscow expel 35 U.S. diplomats and ban U.S. diplomatic staff from using two facilities in Moscow, his ministry said. This followed President Barack Obama's decision to expel the 35 Russian diplomats suspected of spying and to impose sanctions on the two Russian intelligence agencies over their alleged involvement in hacking U.S. political groups in the 2016 presidential election. Lavrov said the … [Read more...] about Russia’s Putin decides against expelling U.S. diplomats in response to sanctions

Prospects for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam this week were unclear after contradictory statements from the two sides. Putin and Trump, who had their first face-to-face meeting in July to discuss allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, are both planning to attend this week's summit in the Vietnamese city of Danang. The Kremlin, which wants to try to improve battered U.S.-Russia ties, says it has been trying to set up a meeting and Trump told Fox News before his Asia tour that he might meet Putin in Vietnam to talk about Syria, Ukraine and North Korea. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told Russian news agencies on Thursday that such a meeting would happen on Friday. "Right now the time of the meeting is being agreed. It will be on the tenth (of November)," Ushakov told agencies. But U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, on a visit to Beijing with Trump, said no … [Read more...] about Prospects for Putin-Trump meeting at APEC summit unclear

People gather for a protest at Terminal 4 of the John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport after people arriving from Muslim countries were held at the border control as a result of the new immigration policies enacted by US President Donald Trump in New York, on Saturday. According to reports, thousands of people took part in the demonstration as 11 people from countries on the suspension list were reportedly held at the airport. — EPA/VNA Photo
Viet Nam News WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump vowed Saturday to improve floundering ties with Russia, while also reassuring close US allies he supports NATO. Amid growing international alarm over Trump’s halt to refugees and travellers from Muslim countries, French President Francois Hollande warned of the "economic and political consequences" of the American leader’s protectionist stance. The comments came one day after Trump signed a sweeping executive order to suspend the arrival of refugees for at least … [Read more...] about Trump vows better Russia ties, reassures NATO allies